This invention relates to the Internet, and more particularly, to techniques for reminding a user via electronic mail (e-mail) of scheduled television programs displayed on an Internet television program guide.
Cable, satellite, and broadcast television systems provide viewers with a large number of television channels. Viewers have traditionally had to consult preprinted television program listings to determine which programs were scheduled to be broadcast on a particular day and at a particular time. Technological advances have allowed more convenient and advanced program guide services to be developed. For example, passive television-based program guides have been developed that allow television viewers to view television program listings directly on their television sets. In addition, interactive television program guide services have been developed that allow a service provider to deliver television program listings data to a user's set-top box. An interactive program guide application in the set-top box allows the user to display the television program listings on the user's television set. More recently, television program guide systems have been developed that provide television program listings over the Internet.
With such an Internet television program guide system, users with personal computers or integrated personal computers and televisions (PC/TVS) can obtain television program listings on-line. In addition, the users of Internet television program guides are able to view promotional video clips, interview segments, audio clips, and other multimedia material related to a given television program.
Although Internet television program guides provide users with a number of useful features, users are still faced with the problem of missing the television programs that they desire to watch because of not remembering when the program is to be broadcast on television. Users must often refer back to the program listings to determine when desired programs are to air.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a way to remind users of Internet television program guides when certain television programs are to be aired.